The invention relates to an improved frontal aerodynamic surface of a missile and particularly to one that is deployable from a retracted stowed position through gas pressure inflation to provide acceptable aerodynamic characteristics during flight while minimizing the overall size of the stored missile.
Modern tactical warfare techniques employ sophisticated guided missile systems. These missiles may be stored in the ammunition magazine of an aircraft, land vehicle, or other firing platform in preparation for use. In order to minimize the volume and size of the ammunition magazine of the firing platform, and/or to maximize the number of missiles which may be stored, it is desirable to minimize the overall length of the stored missiles. Minimization of the size of missiles becomes particularly significant when they are carried aboard aircraft since it is desirable to minimize the radar cross section of the aircraft.
A present design of a so-called TOW (tube launched, optically tracked, wire guided) missile employs a forwardly extending telescoping probe that becomes deployed immediately following launch. The probe contains a contact fuse which initiates explosion of the missile warhead at a desirable standoff distance to maximize damage to the target. Previous designs of TOW missiles have a relatively blunt frontal surface comprised of a generally flat forward end with a centrally disposed relatively small diameter projecting probe. Although these missiles operate satisfactorily, it is desirable to improve their aerodynamic characteristics to enable them to operate in higher velocity hypersonic or supersonic flow regimes. The present relatively blunt frontal configuration of such missiles has limited their velocity capabilities due to high aerodynamic drag. It is, accordingly, desirable to provide a smoothened aerodynamic nose surface for a missile having decreased drag characteristics for a missile of the type having a relatively blunt forward end.